Nurses, Caregivers and Patient Advocates call for Safe Staffing at our Hospitals and Nursing Homes

ALBANY, NY (05/12/2015)(readMedia)-- For Immediate Release

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

PEF - Jane Briggs - jbriggs@pef.org (518-785-1900 ext 211)

NYSUT - Carl Korn - ckorn@nysutmail.org (518-213-6000 ext 6309)

NYSNA - Tara Martin - tara.martin@nysna.org (646-340-3179)

CWA - Jennifer Tuttle - jtuttle@cwa-union.org (703-895-4571)

Sr. Action - Maria Alvarez - maconsult@aol.com (917-518-4050)

Nurses, Caregivers and Patient Advocates call for Safe Staffing at our Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Albany, NY – Hundreds of nurses, healthcare workers and patient advocates filled the halls and offices of the Legislative Office Building on Tuesday, May 12 to educate legislators on the benefits of establishing safe nurse-to-patient ratios.

The coalition, made up of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), New York StateWide Senior Action Council, New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), and the Public Employees Federation (PEF), sent a united message that safe staffing saves lives.

The coalition is fighting for passage of the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act (A1548/S782) which would require acute care facilities and nursing homes to implement safe nurse-to-patient ratios. The safe staffing levels have a direct impact on the ability to assess, monitor, care for and safely discharge patients.

At a press conference, leaders of the coalition shared compelling stories from nurses and other caregivers who experienced fatigue, stress and burnout in order to provide the best quality care. Coalition members noted that in states with safe nurse-to-patient ratios, lives are saved, quality of care is improved and hospital stays are shorter.

"Plain and simple, safe staffing saves lives," said NYSUT Executive Vice President Andrew Pallotta. "Legislation that would require hospitals and other residential healthcare facilities to meet minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios is absolutely necessary. It will ensure that our loved ones continue to receive excellent care from skilled and dedicated nurses, while leading to shorter hospital stays and better outcomes. Passing 'safe staffing' legislation should be an end-of-the-session priority."

"Our patients deserve a nurse at the bedside to care for their healthcare needs and often today there just are not enough nurses to provide that care," said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, an Emergency Room RN at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and president of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA). "New York State needs a safe staffing law that will ensure that all hospitals – from Buffalo to Brooklyn – have safe nurse-to-patient ratios that both will protect us and our patients."

"The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) is partnering with other labor organizations to send a powerful message to our lawmakers about short staffing in health care facilities," said PEF President Susan M. Kent. "Short staffing affects quality patient care and the mortality rate. Hospital-acquired infection is on the increase because of short staffing. For years, the legislation to alleviate short staffing has been stuck in New York. This year, our lawmakers need to get this legislation passed and realize short staffing is a health care problem that leads to a very large proportion of unnecessary deaths."

"During a time when federal and state policies highlight the importance of avoiding preventable readmissions, it is only logical and prudent for hospitals and institutions to have standards requiring appropriate care in the form of adequate staffing," said New York StateWide Senior Action Executive Director Maria Alvarez. "Council studies show that institutions that are adequately staffed have better quality of care, are more profitable, patients suffer fewer infections and there are fewer deaths. It is not only a matter of economics, but of humanity. Lawmakers should think about themselves or their loved ones when they consider whether they want enough and appropriate staff caring for them if, God forbid, they should end up in a facility with not enough nurses or personnel to care for them."

"Patients are suffering and dying because there is often no one to answer alarm bells and call lights or catch problems before they become medical nightmares," said Maryanne Reardon, RN, Chair, Healthcare Coordinating Council, CWA District One. "Staffing levels are determined by highly-paid executives who are judged by financial bottom lines, not bedside care. When a nurse loses a patient it stays with her forever; but for the CEOs, who make life and death decisions with the stroke of a pen, it only lasts until their million dollar severance check arrives in the mail. We need safe staffing ratios and we need them before it's too late."

Coalition members pointed out that when it comes to health care, everyone wants the best possible outcome for their loved ones and safe staffing is a critical step toward ensuring the highest quality of care is achieved.

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